Frederick a



I F. A. PRESTON.

ANTICREEPER. APPLICATION FILEDMN. 21 192i.

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r being applied thereto.

Patented Get, 3, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK AL PRESTON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE 1? 8c M COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ANTICREEPER.

Application filed January 21, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. PRES- TON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anticreepers, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to devices for'preventing the longitudinal creep of railroad rails, either in one or both directions, these devices being commonly called rail anchors,

anticreepers orra'il stays.

One of the principal objects of my inven tion is to provide an anticreeper of simple and compact constructionwhich will maintain a reliable hold on the rail, as against the tendency of the device to become loosened by vibration or other disturbing influences, and which may be very quickly and conveniently put in place on the rail.

My invention contemplates an anticreeper comprising a body having a seat portion disposed so as to bear against thebottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws adapted to extend around the rail base flanges and disposed so as to bear on the top of the respective rail base flanges when said body is forcibly moved transversely on said rail base. In an anticreeper of this sort the jaws are disposed with respect to the seat portion so that-the device has to be distorted in applying it to the rail base. It has been found in applying such a device to the rail basezthat the jaws and the seat portion tend to cut shallow transverse grooves in the respective portions of the rail base over which they move when applying the "device. In effect the bearing surfaces of the jaws and the seat portion interlock with the respective underlying surfaces of the rail base. It is very desirable therefore that such an anticreeper be not disturbed, that is to say, moved longitudinally on the rail base after Consequently in applying such an anticreeper to the rail it is necessary to position it initially close up against one of the vertical sides of the tie.

It is not as convenient to apply ananticreeper close up against the side of a tie as it is back a little ways therefrom. Furthermore, part of the body portion of such an anticreeper extends vertically several inches below the base of the rail in order to provide the necessary clearance to hook one jaw Serial No. 438,951.

over one of the rail base flanges which is necessary in order to position the device on the rail. When the side of the tie is not flat, as is the case when the tie is hewn from a tree of small diameter, the point of contact between the anticreeper and the tie is otten some distance below the base of the rail, consequently under a creeping strain the anticreeper is subjected to a tilting or rocking movement which is undesirable because it tends to expand the jaws and otherwise distort the body portion so as to weaken the grip of the device on the rail base. And this is true also in many cases when the anticreeper is positioned against a tie having a flat vertical side because of the small pieces of stone or gravel which work in between the device and the tie. In other words in only a comparatively few cases does the anticreeper abut against the tie close to one of its points of engagement with the rail base. A more specific object of my invention, therefore, is to provide in combination with such an anticreeper means in association with one, but preferably both of the adjacent ties which is arranged so as to form a stop against which one jaw of the anticreeper abuts whereby any tendency for the device to rock or tilt out of the ver tical plane will be obviated or at least reduced to a minimum.

The invention consists in the novel arrangements and constructions to behereinafter described and claimed for. carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following descriptions of a certain preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawrail 5 is supported on cross ties 6. 6 and approximately-midway between-said ties, and positioned on the rail base 15 an anticreeper designated generally by the reference numeral 7, The anticreeper is preferably con;

its open portion 10 is somewhat wider than that of the jaw 8. Intermediate its ends, and preferably nearer'the jaw 8 than the jaw 9, the body member is bentupwardly so as to form a seat 11 which is adapted to bear against the bottom side oftherail base.

\Vhen the body member thus constructed the proportion and shape of the jaws 8 and 9 relative to the seat 11 when the device is not applied to the rail, are such that if the device he placed so that the surfaces 8 and 9 thereof coincide, respectively with the top surfaces of the rail base flanges, the top surface of the seat 11 will be somewhat above the plane or bottom of'the rail base, in other words, in applying the device to the rail the seat 11 has-to beforced away from the jaws 8 and 9, that is downwardly into a lower plane. The engagements of the anticreeper with the rail: base are such that the body of the device is distorted and nude a strain when applied to the rail.

The anticreeper is applied to the rail as follows: j

The jaw 9 is first hooked over one of the rail base flanges and the anticreeper is then swung upwardly until the seat 11 bears against the bottom of the rail base and the beveled corner 8? of the jaw 8 engages the upper outer edge of the other rail base flange as indicated'in dotted lines in Fig. 3. It will be apparent that the anticreeper can not be moved transversely onto the rail base so that the jaw 8 will bear upon the top surface of the adj acentrail base flange, without distortion of the anticreeper. The

operation of applying the device is 'com'- pleted by striking the jaw end 8 of the anticreeper with a sledge so as to force it transversely onto the rail. base thereby causing it to take an effective holding grip upon. the rail base. The tendency of the body mem her to return to its original shape results in an extremely strong gripping action. on the rail base which is suflicien't to hold the dc vice in position on the rail base against vibratlon or any other disturbing influences.

If the anticreeper is restrained against longitudinal movement it will effectively preventv longitudinal. creepa'ge of the rail.

In order to hold the antiereeper' against longitudinal movement with respect to the rail Iprovide mean'sco-op'erating with one jaw of the anticreeper and adapte'dto engage one or both of the adjacent ties whereby any creeping tendency of the rail in either forward or reverse direction is transmitted to s'aid' tie or ties, as" the case may be, The referredarrangement is to provide a rail.

plate 12 alongside the rail base, shaped substantially as shown in the drawings so as to provide an offset portion 13 adapted to overhe one ofthe rail base flanges, flat portions 14, 14 adapted to rest upon the respective adjacent ties and depending portions 15, 15 adapted to bear against the inner vertical faces of the respective ties. The ortions 14;, 14- are each provided with openings 14 for .the insertion of track spikes (not shown). At approximately its middle por tion the offset portion 13 is provided with a notch 18 which is adapted to receive the jaw .9 of the anticreeper,

The plate is preferably associated. with the jaw 9 of the antiereeper as above de-- scribed in order to prevent the device moving transversely of the rail base in the direction from which it was driven. As heretofore explained the device must move in the direction ofthe arrow Fig. 3 in order to release its grip on the rail base. It will thus The fact that the plate engagesthe jaw 9 at a point very close to its point of engagement with therail base practically eliminates any tendency for the anticreeper to tilt or rock out of the vertical plane when under strains due to creeping tendencies of the a nticreeper in no way depends on the smooth ness of the side surfaces of the tie or the interposition of gravel or rock ballast between the device and the tie. Its grip 011 the rail base is practically the same under all conditions of service. The fact that it may be applied approximately midway between the ties makes its application to the rail base more convenient than is the case when it is applied close up against'the tie.

I claim:

1. In combination an anticrecper coin prising a body having a portion disposed so as to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws disposed so as to bear on the top of the respective rail base flanges whenv said body is forcibly moved transversely on said rail base, and means cotion disposed so as to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws disposed so as to bear on the top of the respective rail base flanges when said body is forclbly moved transversely on said rail base, andfmeans co-ope'rating with onejaw of said ant creeper and adapted to.. engage.

both-the adjacent ties whereby any creeping The effectiveness of the grip of the the rail is transmitted to said tie.

t. In combination an anticreeper adapted to be placed on the rail between adjacent ties comprising a body having a portion disposed so as to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws disposed so as to bear on the top of the respective rail base flanges when said body is forcibly moved transversely on said rail base, and a plate having at is middle portion means adapted to co-operate with one jaw of said anticreeper and at each end means adapted to engage the respective adjacent ties whereby any creeping tendency of the rail in either direction is transmitted to said ties.

5. In combination an anticreeper formed from a single bar of metal bent so as to provide a seat to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws of unequal length adapted to extend around and bear upon the top of the respective rail base flanges, said seat being so disposed relative to said jaws as to necessitate distortion of the anticreeper when it is moved transversely on said rail base to position it in holding engagement with the rail base, and a plate adapted to overlie one of the rail base flanges and provided with a notch adapted to receive one of said jaws, said plate being secured to one of the adjacent ties.

6. In combination an anticreeper adapted to be placed on the rail base between adjacent ties formed from a single bar of .metal bent so as to provide a seat to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws of unequal length adapted to extend around and bear upon the top of the respective rail base flanges, said seat being so disposed relative to said jaws as to necessitate distortion of the anti creeper when it is moved transversely on said rail base to position it in holding engagement with the rail base, a plate adapted to overlie one of the rail base flanges and having at its middle portion a notch adapted to receive one of said jaws, and means to secure the ends of said plate to the respective adjacent ties.

7 In combination an anticreeper comprising a body having a portion disposed so as to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws disposed so as to bear on the top of therespectivc rail base flanges when said body is forcibly moved transversely on said rail base, and a plate adapted to overlie one of the rail base flange and provided with a notch adapted to receive one of said jaws, said plate being secured to one of the adjacent ties.

8. In combination an anticreeper adapted to be placed on a rail base between adjacent ties comprising a body having a portion disposed so as to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws disposed so as to bear on the top of the respective rail base flanges when said body is forcibly moved transversely on said rail base, and a plate adapted to overlie one of the rail base flanges and provided at its middle portion with a notch adapted to receive one of said jaws, and means to secure each end of said plate to the respective adjacent ties.

9. In combination an anticreeper formed from a single bar of metal bent so as to provide a seat to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws of unequal length adapted to extend around and bear upon the top of the respective rail base flanges, said seat being so disposed relative to said jaws as to necessitate distortion of the anticreeper when it is moved transversely on said rail base to position'it 1n holding engagement with the rail base, and a plate adapted to overlie the rail base flange engaged by said longer jaw and provided with a notch adapted to receive said longer jaw, said plate being secured to one of the adjacent ties and arranged to prevent reverse transverse movement of the anticreeper on the rail base.

10. In combination an anticreeper adapted to be placed on the rail base between adjacent ties and formed from a single bar of metal bent so as to provide a seat to bear against the bottom of the rail base and a pair of terminal jaws of unequal length adapted to extend around and bear upon the top of the respective rail base flanges, said seat being so disposed relative to said jaws as to necessitate distortion of the anticreeper when it is moved transversely on said rail base to position it in holding engagement with the rail base, a plate adapted to overlie the rail base flange engaged by said longer jaw and provided with a notch at its middle portion adapted to receive said longer jaw, and means to secure the ends of said plate to the respective adjacent ties, said plate \being arranged to prevent reverse transverse movement of the anticreeper on the rail base.

FREDERICK A. PRESTON. 

